BWW Reviews: Guthrie's MOON SHOW 143

Guest author Scott Drake visited Minneapolis' Guthrie Theater to take in a show on his trip from Philadelphia. His review follows:

MOON SHOW 143 is a puppet and props non-speaking production that uses live and recorded sounds, lighting and the audience's imagination to tell moon stories from around the world. The clever interjections of the performers body parts add to the illusion of these human-like creatures exploring their surroundings starting with a small hand puppet through a life-sized "fully grown" one. An especially humorous headless inventor trying to lasso the moon, catapult to the moon and several other antics interject some funny moments, including his chalkboard of failed attempts getting marked every time.

If you're looking to be moonstruck for an hour, all you need is your imagination. And realize that even after, you won't look at our moon exactly the same way after.

More on MOON SHOW 143

This theatrical duet features the talents of Kyle Loven and Paurl Walsh in an experience thatcombines live and recorded sound with puppetry and movement to portray four fateful encounters between humans and the moon. Loven is "The Moon" while Walsh provides the live soundtrack during this cosmic rock concert. MOON SHOW 143 continues performances through Sept. 18 in the Dowling Studio.

Although Kyle Loven is based in Seattle, he has extensive Minnesota ties and has worked with Michael Sommers and Susan Haas' Open Eye Figure Theatre and performed with Theatre de la Jeune Lune and the Children's Theatre Company. His live performances have also been seen in Amsterdam, Taipei, New York, Minneapolis, Portland, Orlando and Seattle.

Single tickets start at $22 and are now on sale through the Guthrie Box Office at 612.377.2224, toll-free 877.44.STAGE, 612.225.6244 (Group Sales) and online at http://www.guthrietheater.org/.

Photo by Paul Eide.